


Freaking Out The Neighbourhood

by SEJEONGSTHIGHS



Category: EXID (Band)
Genre: F/F, Neighbour AU, also solji is a mom, we love our gay neighbours
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 09:19:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15704343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SEJEONGSTHIGHS/pseuds/SEJEONGSTHIGHS
Summary: Solji and Hyojin are neighbours.They are both very different people, brought together by many things.





	1. 1.

"Hey, I see you're getting a new neighbour." Hani said as she flopped herself down on Hyojin's sofa.

Hyojin shrugged. "Am I?"

"Well, by the look of it, there's someone moving into the house right next door to yours." Hani said before she got up with a grunt and tugged Hyojin over to the window.

The two watched as they saw a woman, around their age or possibly a little older, unloading boxes from a truck and walking into the house next door.

"I guess I am." Hyojin frowned. "Does that mean I have to go introduce myself or whatever bullshit neighbours do these days?" Hyojin groaned as she returned to her seat. "I bet she'll hate me."

"Be a good neighbour, Hyojin." Hani whined as she sat back down on the sofa. "She looks nice."

"That's what you said about Junghwa when you first met her, and now look at how she is." Hyojin scoffed.

"True... But that's Junghwa, she was always... Kind of messy to begin with." Hani chuckled.

Hyojin ended up turning the television on and they watched an episode of some show on Netflix before Hani went back over to the window.

"Jeez, she's still unpacking stuff." Hani mumbled. "Maybe we should help."

Hyojin laughed. "You? Help someone? You'd probably move one box and then collapse."

"I can move boxes! Just watch me!" Hani grumbled as she put her shoes on and ran outside, straight to the woman.

Hyojin got up to watch in the window. She couldn't quite tell what they were saying, but the woman accepted Hani's help anyway and Hyojin watched as Hani dashed from the truck to the house several times before stopping at the truck for a minute, a hot mess. That was when Hyojin decided to move out onto the porch to watch. She grabbed her lighter and a cigarette before she went out and sat on the chair she kept out there specifically for watching the street whilst smoking. She lit her cigarette and hummed quietly. It wasn't long before Hani noticed her.

"I told you I could move a ton of boxes!" Hani yelled. "More than you!"

"Sure, whatever, but you're literally about to collapse now, and I could've done way more than that!" Hyojin yelled back before laughing as Hani suddenly shot up again, grabbing another box and running off into the house with it. She did this about five times before the woman came out of the house again.

"Hey, you don't need to bring all of them, it's okay, I can get more, don't tire yourself out." Hyojin heard her say.

"No! I want to help. You've been doing this by yourself for ages." Hani said, standing up straight.

"Are you sure?" The woman frowned. "Don't you want to come in for a drink? It's hot out here today."

Hani shook her head. "Drinks when I've brought it all in." And with that she continued taking boxes in along with the woman whilst  Hyojin watched on.

Eventually, they took the final boxes inside. At this point Hyojin had been inside to get a drink and had returned to her seat on the porch. She watched as the woman got in the truck and parked it on the driveway before she went inside. Hani was nowhere to be seen.

"Bitch..." Hyojin mumbled. "She was only supposed to be helping her move the boxes."

Hyojin sat for a moment, watching one of her neighbours from across the street return home with their children, before she got up and went inside. She was twenty minutes into another episode of Orange Is The New Black when someone knocked on the door. She grumbled, pausing it and reluctantly dragged herself off the couch and to the door, opening it. To her surprise, it was the woman.

"Hey, you must be Hyojin, right?" She asked.

"Yep, that's me." Hyojin said. "And you are?"

"Solji. Heo Solji.  I just moved in next door." The woman, Solji, said. "But you probably know that already."

Hyojin nodded. "I saw you moving in. I sent Hani to help you. I would've done the same, but heavy lifting isn't my thing anymore."

"Hani's been very helpful." Solji said with a smile. "But... The thing is, she passed out on my sofa, and... She won't wake up. But she told me about you, so that's why I'm here."

"God, she's such an idiot..." Hyojin sighed. "I'll come wake her up."

Hyojin turned off the television and grabbed her keys before heading over to Solji's house. When they got there, Hani was fast asleep on the couch.

"Hey, dumbass, wake up." Hyojin flicked Hani's forehead.

There was a groan.

"Wake the fuck up." Hyojin grabbed Hani's shoulders and started to shake her.

Another groan.

"Junghwa's here."

Hani's eyes suddenly shot open. "Where?!"

"I lied. But you're awake now." Hyojin snorted.

Hani grumbled as she sat up, looking around. "Where are we?"

"You fell asleep on my couch." Solji said, seeming quite amused.

"Oh. Right. Wow. I'm sorry. God, I'm such an idiot. This is no way to make new friends." Hani groaned, hitting her forehead. "But anyway!" She stood up, pushing Hyojin towards Solji. "This is Hyojin! Your next door neighbour! I told you all about her!"

"We've already spoke, dumbass." Hyojin grumbled, slapping Hani's shoulder. "Haven't you wondered how I got here?"

"...Oh yeah." Hani frowned. "But now you've met!" She turned to Solji again. "Make sure to check on Hyojin every now and again. Sometime she doesn't leave her house for days and the neighbours think she's dead. She's not dead. Obviously. But make sure you check up on her!"

"I think we should go now, you're rambling." Hyojin said as she pushed Hani over to the door. "It was nice meeting you, Solji. You know where to find me if you need anything."

"Thanks, it was nice meeting you both. I hope we'll get to talk soon." Solji said, waving to the two as they left.

 

Solji would soon realise she would be seeing a lot more of Hyojin.


	2. Chapter 2

The music was so loud it was making the windows rattle.

Solji curled up under the covers, letting out a frustrated groan. Hyojin and her friends had been partying for hours now and she was just trying to get some sleep.

There were a few screams, followed by laughter.

Solji sat up, realising she wasn't going to get any sleep.

She went over to the window to see what was going on. She recognised Hani running around outside with another girl, and they both had water guns. Hyojin was stood on her porch, smoking and laughing with a few other people. Solji decided she could perhaps ask Hyojin to keep it down. She seemed nice enough anyway.

So she put on a hoodie and some shorts before venturing outside into the dark, approaching Hyojin on the porch.

"Hey, Hyojin... Could you perhaps keep it down?" Solji asked.

Hyojin stared at Solji for a moment before shrugging. "I guess so." She turned to someone else and told them to turn the music down and they disappeared inside.

"Should we go inside?" Someone asked Hyojin. Hyojin nodded. The crowd on the porch disappeared inside.

"Hani, Junghwa! Shut the fuck up! People are trying to sleep!" Hyojin yelled. "Have your fight somewhere else!"

The two girls running around on the grass whined, but returned to the house. Junghwa went inside. Hani stopped when she realised Solji was there.

"Hey Solji! Did you want to come in?" Hani asked.

Solji shook her head. "I have work in the morning, I can't."

"Get inside, Hani." Hyojin quickly pushed the other girl inside and closed the door before turning to Solji. "I'll keep them quiet. It'll only be for another hour or so anyway."

"Thanks, Hyojin." Solji said before she returned to her house and back to bed.

She didn't hear any more noise from next door again.

 

The two didn't have any encounters again for a few weeks. The next one happened when Hyojin was sat on her porch with Hani.

"Why do you have to smoke so much?" Hani was complaining. "You're like a chimney."

"It's a bad habit and I can't help it." Hyojin mumbled. "You're out here with me by your own will. I'm not forcing you to stay here."

The two watched as a car pulled up on the driveway next door. They watched Solji get out before going to the backseat and opening the door. A child jumped out and they went into the house together.

"...Does she have a daughter?" Hani frowned. "And she never told us?"

Hyojin shrugged. "It could be a sibling. Or some other kind of relative. Why is it always a daughter with you?"

"They looked alike!" Hani whined, flicking Hyojin's shoulder. "We're all old enough to have kids, maybe that's hers."

"You assume whatever you want. I'm assuming it's a niece or something." Hyojin said, before she got up and went inside.

An hour later, Junghwa had shown up and her and Hani were having a water fight outside. Hani was winning and Junghwa was literally drowning. Hyojin was sat on the grass, watching the two whilst listening to music. The two kept shooting their water guns at each other and Junghwa kept screaming. Hyojin looked up to see Solji and the child come out of Solji's house. Hyojin watched as they both walked off up the street together, Solji holding the tiny girl's hand tightly. Hyojin still wanted to assume that was just Solji's niece or something, but they looked very close. But it was none of Hyojin's business anyway.

Hani and Junghwa eventually ran out of water and energy so they went inside. Hyojin followed them in and once the two were clean and dry they watched a movie together before Hani and Junghwa went upstairs to sleep. Hyojin had a spare room in her house and the two often stayed and kept her company. That's what Hyojin would like to think, but she knew that Junghwa's parents wouldn't approve of what her and Hani did, and Hani's roommates would probably kick her out.

Hyojin decided to go for a walk, not wanting to listen to the strange noises coming from upstairs. She'd just began to walk down the street when she saw Solji and the child coming towards her.

"Hey, Solji." Hyojin said with a smile. "Who's this with you?"

"Hi Hyojin. This is Kyungmi." Solji said before nudging the child. "Say hi to Hyojin."

The child just looked up at Hyojin before hiding against Solji's leg.

"Hm, I wouldn't say hi to me either, I'm scary apparently." Hyojin laughed. "It was nice seeing you, anyway Solji. See you around."

And with that Hyojin walked off, now convinced that the girl was Solji's daughter. The similarities were too much. But how did Solji fail to mention she had a daughter? And why was today the first time she'd been seen?

Hyojin had a lot of questions.

 

They didn't see Solji's supposed daughter for a while after that. The next time Hyojin saw Solji, it wasn't just a casual drop in visit.

It was 4am and Hyojin was stood at her front door without her keys. She'd sworn she'd taken them out with her when she and Hani went out, but apparently she'd either lost them or locked herself out. Hyojin wasn't about to wait on her porch until the morning came, and she wasn't exactly familiar with any of her neighbours, in fact they hated her. So she found herself at Solji's house, knocking on the door. It took a minute or so but Solji eventually came.

"Hyojin? It's 4am, what are you doing?" Solji frowned, squinting at the other girl.

"I lost my keys. There's nowhere else I can go, so can I just crash on your couch? I'm drunk and tired, please." Hyojin pleaded.

Solji sighed. "Fine. I'll get you some blankets."

"You're a saint." Hyojin said as she entered.

Solji locked the door again before heading upstairs. Hyojin took off her shoes and jacket and began to settle on the couch. A minute later, Solji returned with some blankets.

"I know one is a Paw Patrol one and one's a Pororo one, but it's all I had. They're Kyungmi's." Solji said as she put them on the arm of the couch.

"I've been meaning to ask you, is she your daughter?" Hyojin sat up, looking at Solji.

Solji nodded. "But she doesn't live here. She lives with her dad. She comes to stay at the weekends. Is that all you need? Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Sure, go ahead. I'm sorry for waking you up. I'll make it up to you somehow." Hyojin said.

Solji went back upstairs and Hyojin curled up under the Paw Patrol and Pororo blankets, falling asleep quite quickly.

 

When Hyojin woke up, all she could hear was a very familiar laugh. She opened her eyes and saw Hani stood in front of her. She shot up suddenly, tugging the blankets off herself.

"Why are you laughing? What's so funny?" Hyojin glared at the other girl.

"Big tough bully Ahn Hyojin asleep under kids blankets." Hani said before bursting into laughter again.

"Shut up, dumbass." Hyojin grumbled, hitting Hani's shoulder. "Do you have the key to my house?"

Hani nodded, pulling out Hyojin's keys and laughing again. "I stole them from you when you weren't looking!"

Hyojin was about to tackle Hani and punch her when Solji entered. She was wearing an oversized shirt and some shorts and for some reason it was only now that Hyojin had noticed how cute Solji was. And apparently she'd been staring for too long.

"Earth to Hyojin? Did you forget where you are again? We're at Solji's house, and you slept on the couch because I stole your keys." Hani spoke slowly, poking the side of Hyojin's head.

"You're an asshole." Hyojin growled as she snatched her keys from Hani's hands and exited quickly.

"What you mean is thanks Solji for letting me stay and thanks Hani for bringing my keys!" Hani yelled as Hyojin stormed out.

Hani was an idiot.

And Solji was really, really really, really really really, really cute.


	3. Chapter 3

It was 3pm and Hyojin was in the kitchen trying to figure out how to cook something without burning her house down. She was about to begin, when she heard yelling coming from Solji's house. It was weird because Solji was usually silent. Hyojin went to the window and saw an unfamiliar car on Solji's driveway. That's when she left her house and moved closer to Solji's, hiding and listening in through an open window. She could hear a man's voice, he was yelling, and a woman crying.

"You're fucking useless, Solji! I don't know what I ever saw in you."

"Don't say that, please."

"Shut up! Did I say you could speak? Dumb bitch."

Hyojin heard a slap, then more crying from Solji.

That's when she knew she had to act.

Hyojin ran to the door and luckily it was already unlocked. She found them in the kitchen, Solji was backed up into a corner and the man was towering over her. She grabbed the man, pulling him away and pinning him against the wall. He was clearly shocked and unprepared.

"Tell me you didn't just hit her." Hyojin growled.

"I--" He started, trying to think of something.

"Hyojin..." Solji whimpered.

"Tell me you didn't just fucking lay your hands on her! Because it sure sounds like you did!" Hyojin yelled, her hands moving up around the man's neck, beginning to restrict the airflow. "Did you come here to bully her? Hurt her? You're fucking pathetic."

"P-Please--" The man gasped.

"Touch her again, and I'll fucking kill you." Hyojin hissed, letting go of the man.

He fell to the floor, gasping for air.

"Sorry... Won't do it again..." He wheezed, before scrambling to his feet and running out of the house.

Hyojin turned to Solji who was sobbing by now. She was about to speak when Solji suddenly threw herself at Hyojin, hugging her tightly.

"Hyojin... I was so scared..." Solji sobbed. "I thought he was going to kill me..."

"I'm here. It's okay. He can't hurt you anymore." Hyojin mumbled, holding onto the other woman tightly.

"I can't stay here, Hyojin. Not by myself. What if he comes back when you're not here?" Solji lifted her head, looking up at Hyojin.

"You can stay with me. I know it's only next door, but at least I'll be there. Or Hani will. Maybe even both of us if you're lucky." Hyojin said.

"You'd let me stay with you?" Solji tilted her head slightly.

Hyojin nodded. "You'd be a lot safer with me. Let's go. You can help me cook."

And with that, Solji grabbed a few things before they went over to Hyojin's house.

 

Solji had never been inside Hyojin's house before. It was cleaner than she'd imagined, seeing as she knew there were usually multiple people staying with Hyojin at any given time. However, right now it seemed to be just Hyojin.

"Is Hani not around?" Solji asked.

Hyojin shook her head. "She's helping Junghwa with her work. But she'll be here later."

"Does she ever stay wherever she actually lives?" Solji frowned. "She's here an awful lot."

"She doesn't like her roommates." Hyojin said as she pulled Solji into the kitchen. "They aren't nice people. She wants to get an apartment with Junghwa, but they both don't have enough money."

"Oh, I see." Solji went quiet for a moment as Hyojin handed her a box.

"Read this. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. I just want the pie. It's got a million instructions to follow. You seem like you'd know what to do." Hyojin said, folding her arms and watching Solji read.

Ten minutes and a lot of laughing from Solji at the fact Hyojin couldn't put a pie in the oven later, Hyojin's pie was in the oven.

"Hyojin, can I ask, how did you afford this house by yourself?" Solji asked.

Hyojin paused for a moment, before shrugging. "I have a job. It pays well. My uncle helped me buy the house."

Solji nodded. There was silence again before Hyojin spoke.

"Was he always that mean to you?" Hyojin asked quietly.

Solji sighed. "He was great at first. But then... I don't know what happened. I don't know what I did. It was a little while after Kyungmi was born. He just snapped. I had to leave, and I tried to take her with me but I couldn't."

"He's an asshole." Hyojin grumbled. "But you're safe now, right? You're with me."

"I'm just worried about Kyungmi. I don't want him to hurt her." Solji mumbled.

"Is there a way to get her to come live with you?" Hyojin asked.

"It'd be through the court and stuff. My lawyer failed. But I could appeal again." Solji said.

"I have a friend. She's a lawyer. She got me out of some bad situations in the past, maybe she could help you?" Hyojin suggested.

"I'll need to speak with her first, obviously." Solji said.

Hyojin nodded. "Of course. I can get her to come over tomorrow if you like?" Hyojin asked.

Solji nodded. "Okay."

Hyojin ended up sharing her pie with Solji before they moved to the living room and started watching a show together. They were two episodes in when the front door swung open.

"I'M HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME!"

It was Hani.

"You don't live here." Said Hyojin.

Solji had to try and hide her laughter.

"Don't be rude, I sleep here almost every night. This is my home." Hani said before she walked into the kitchen, not noticing Solji on the couch.

"It's rude to ignore guests!" Hyojin yelled.

"You never have guests unless you're fucking someone!" Hani yelled back.

"Shut up!" Hyojin grumbled, hiding further into a cushion as Solji laughed.

"Oh! Who's that?" Hani suddenly ran in and gasped. "Solji! What are you doing here? She hasn't trapped you here, has she?"

Solji shook her head. "I'm just staying for a while, there's some stuff being worked on in my house."

"Ooh! Okay!" Hani said with a smile. "Well, don't let Hyojin boss you around."

"Do you know if Hyelin's free tomorrow?" Hyojin suddenly asked.

Hani shrugged. "She should be. Why? Are you in trouble again?"

"No. I just need her for a friend." Hyojin said.

"Just tell me it's about you, Hyojin. Who did you punch this time?" Hani teased before running off into the kitchen before Hyojin could throw anything at her.

"You punched someone?" Solji asked with wide eyes.

Hyojin shrugged. "He swung at me first."

They continued watching their show, Hani eventually joining them and chatting away about what she did all day. After an hour, Hani passed out on the couch, so Hyojin ended up taking her upstairs to her bed before returning to Solji.

"You can take my bed tonight." Hyojin said. "Before you even try to decline it, you'll be the safest there. If he comes back looking for you and knows you're here, he'd have to get through me first."

"Are you sure it's okay? Won't you be uncomfortable on the couch?" Solji asked, frowning.

Hyojin shook her head. "I spent a year sleeping on various couches, and I know how comfortable mine is compared to some of the ones I slept on."

They finished watching the next episode of the show, before Solji retired upstairs to sleep.

Hyojin ended up curled up on the couch, looking at her phone. She decided to text Hyelin.

"I need your help with something. A friend of mine is in a bad situation."

A few minutes later, she got a reply.

"I'll be over tomorrow. It's nice to see you're not the one in trouble this time."

"Listen. I haven't been in trouble in ages. See you later."

And with that, Hyojin put her phone down on the coffee table and went to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Hyojin woke up to the smell of something cooking.

"Don't try and burn the kitchen down this time, Heeyeon." Hyojin said before she pulled the blankets over her head.

"I'm not Heeyeon, whoever that is." A voice said.

Hyojin shot up. "Jesus, Solji. I don't know why I wasn't expecting you to be here."

Solji laughed. "I went back to mine for some food, then I made breakfast here. I didn't want to use all your food up. Come on."

Hyojin reluctantly dragged herself off the couch and into the kitchen where Solji had prepared pancakes.

"You didn't have to make breakfast for me, you know." Hyojin said.

Solji shook her head. "I felt like it was only right. I made some for Hani too."

Hyojin sat down at the table and began to eat.

"You're like... A whole mom. Why are you so good at everything?" Hyojin whined.

"Because I am a mom." Solji grinned and patted Hyojin's shoulder.

There was the sound of someone running down the stairs.

"I CAN SMELL FOOD!"

Hani was awake.

They all ended up eating breakfast together before Hani left for work. And after Solji insisted she return home to shower, her and Hyojin ended up back on Hyojin's sofa an hour later watching movies, waiting for Hyelin.

"So... This Hyelin... How good is she?" Solji asked.

Hyojin shrugged. "Pretty good. I would've been in prison by now if it wasn't for her."

Solji's eyes widened. "Why? What did you do?"

"It's a long story." Hyojin said with a shrug.

"We have time, I want to know." Solji said.

Hyojin sighed. "Fine. I was a gangster."

"...A gangster? How?" Solji asked.

"Got mixed up with the wrong people in school, joined a gang, I wasn't anything too important though, I just did the dirty work." Hyojin said. "The gang got shut down though, everyone got arrested, most of them are in jail, but Hyelin got me out. If she can get me out of a ten year sentence, then she's good."

Solji stared at Hyojin for a moment, before speaking. "I can see how you'd be a gangster. You look all tough on the outside, but I bet you're all soft and squishy on the inside."

Hyojin laughed. "You think whatever you want, Solji. Hani still says I'm a hardened thug."

"How did you two meet?" Solji asked. "Sorry for all the questions, I'm just curious."

"It's fine." Hyojin said with a smile before continuing. "I met Hani at a cafe. She spilled her drink on me. Twice. Then said we were destined to be friends after that. I didn't have a choice, because she attached herself to me."

They continued talking for hours, before there was a knock at the door. Hyojin got up to answer.

"So, you need a lawyer."

It was Hyelin.

"Never make that face at me again." Hyojin frowned, flicking the other woman's shoulder as she let Hyelin in.

"Is this my client?" Hyelin asked as she approached Solji.

Hyojin nodded. "Her name's Solji. She needs to get her kid back from her ex."

"Ah..." Hyelin hummed. "Should be easy."

Hyelin and Solji ended up talking for a few hours, Hyojin occasionally joining in but she was mostly falling asleep sat next to Solji. She was woken up properly when Hyelin got up.

"Alright, so I'll ask for an appeal with the evidence you've given me, and I'll get back to you." Hyelin said as she approached the front door. "Make sure Hyojin stays out of trouble, although with her current job she can't exactly go anywhere."

Solji ended up waving Hyelin off because Hyojin was too lazy to get herself up.

"So, what's your job now?" Solji asked. "Does it really pay well? Or do you still have ties with a gang?"

"Like hell I'd be connected with a gang." Hyojin frowned, shaking her head. "You won't believe this, but I'm a producer. I make songs and stuff."

"Really?" Solji asked with a grin. "Then how come I've never heard of you before? How do you make enough to stay in this house?"

"If you read the tiny print on music stuff, I've worked with a lot of people. But I don't use my real name, I like my privacy." Hyojin sighed. "Are you really going to interrogate me about my job now?"

"What's your producer name?" Solji asked, shuffling herself closer.

"It's a secret. You have to find it out yourself." Hyojin said. "Considering the fact I literally have a studio in my house, it's not that hard to find out."

Just then, Hani came crashing in through the front door.

"Hey losers, we're having a party tonight!" Hani cheered.

"Let me in!" A voice whined from behind the door.

"Oh, right!" Hani moved out of the way and Junghwa shuffled in.

"You're not asking if it's okay with me first?" Hyojin sighed, shaking her head.

"We never have to ask!" Junghwa whined before she came over to cling to Hyojin's side. "Hyoooooojin, pweeeeaaaase--"

"Alright, shut up, that's gross." Hyojin grumbled, tugging her arm away from Junghwa.

It was then that Junghwa noticed Solji.

"Oh my! Are you Hyojin's neighbour? She said you're really cute, and she never says that about ANYONE!" Junghwa gasped.

"Can't you shut your big mouth for more than five seconds?" Hyojin groaned, hiding her face in her hands.

"I told you, I knew you were a big softie on the inside!" Solji laughed, poking Hyojin's side.

 

That night, a lot of people ended up coming over to Hyojin's house. Solji decided she'd stay upstairs, not wanting to intrude on anything, but Hani had told Solji if she wanted to join them she could.

Solji was in the middle of reading when the music from downstairs seemed to get louder, then someone, she assumed Hani and Junghwa, started screeching along to whatever song was on. Solji tried to focus on her book, but then she heard two pairs of footsteps.

"Listen." A voice, Hyojin's voice, said. "We're not doing that anymore. I'm not into you like that anymore."

"Seriously Hyojin?" The other person whined. "Why? What changed?"

"Nothing..." Hyojin trailed off.

"Are you dating someone?" The other person asked.

"No. Don't be dumb." Hyojin sighed. "But we're not doing this anymore. Keep this to yourself, they don't need to know."

And with that, one pair of footsteps went back down the stairs, whilst the other went into the bathroom before heading downstairs after a few minutes.

Solji continued reading, before she decided she needed some water. She left the bedroom and headed down the stairs. It was packed. She saw Hani and Junghwa, who were still singing, and Hyojin was on the porch outside. When Hani saw Solji, she rushed outside to drag Hyojin back in. Solji had managed to push her way through the crowd before reaching the kitchen, which was relatively empty. Just as Solji had got a glass, Hyojin came in.

"You okay? They're not being too loud for you?" Hyojin asked.

"It's a party, I don't mind them being loud." Solji said.

"Yeah, but Hani and Junghwa are literally screaming in there." Hyojin said, flinching slightly when the two hit a slightly higher pitch.

"I have a daughter who screams all the time." Solji pointed out. "This is nothing compared to her."

"Come outside, let's talk." Hyojin said, watching as Solji filled up her glass with water.

Hyojin guided Solji through the crowd and through the group on the porch and they sat on the grass.

"You really want to sit here with me? What about your friends?" Solji asked, glancing over at the group still on the porch.

"It's fine, they understand." Hyojin said. "You're more important anyway."

"Why though, Hyojin?" Solji asked.

Hyojin shrugged. "You just are."

Solji watched as Hyojin lit up another cigarette and started smoking.

"You have an early death if you keep doing that, you know." Solji said.

"Good." Hyojin mumbled.

"Why good?" Solji frowned.

"Because when those fuckers get out of jail, the first place they'll come is here to get rid of me." Hyojin let out a chuckle. "The reason they're locked up is because of me."

"What did you do?" Solji asked, shuffling closer to Hyojin.

"The police said they'd let me get out early if I told them who was in the gang, so I did. And then Hyelin got me out of my sentence completely. I was young and stupid. When they all get out, I'll have no chance." Hyojin let out a sigh. "So I'd like to smoke myself to death before that."

"Don't be like that." Solji said, wrapping her arm around Hyojin's shoulders. "You'll be fine."

"But what if I'm not fine, Solji?" Hyojin turned to face the older woman. "You don't know the shit they do to people like me. Nobody likes a snitch."

"Listen to me, Hyojin. You don't know me all that well, but I'll make sure you'll be safe. I promise." Solji said before she finished the rest of her water. "I'm gonna head back upstairs now."

Solji leant closer to leave a small kiss on Hyojin's cheek, before she got up and went back inside.

Hyojin sat there for a moment, hand on her cheek where Solji's lips had been.

"Hyojin, get up!" One of her friends called.

Hyojin quickly jumped up and headed back to the group on the porch.

"Was that your girlfriend?" One person asked.

Hyojin shook her head. "Just a friend."

But calling Solji her girlfriend didn't seem like such a bad idea the more Hyojin thought about it.

 

She really was beginning to fall.


	5. Hyojin and Solji's backstories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyojin and Solji's backstories.

"Let's go, you have the stuff, right Hyojin?" An older girl, Hyuna, asked.

A twenty year old Hyojin nodded. "Yep, got everything."

Hyuna, Hyojin, and two other girls got into the car. They were driving back to where the gang was based, an old warehouse. The big bosses and the others were waiting for them to return with their latest purchases, some drugs, and also some weapons. But what the group failed to notice was that they were being followed by the police in an unmarked vehicle. They pulled into the warehouse carpark and got out, taking the stuff out of the trunk and taking it all inside.

"Did you bring everything?" A man asked.

"Yes, it's all there." Hyuna said. "Nobody saw us, we're sa--"

There was a huge bang outside.

Hyojin later found out that those were the doors being blown off.

"Shit!" One of the other men hissed. "Looks like you were followed, fucking idiots..."

The three men picked up the bags before they ran out through the back exit, leaving the group of girls still inside. They were trying to escape, when the police caught them. They were all taken to the nearest police station and questioned before being taken to a prison to hold them temporarily.

Hyojin did quite well in the prison, She became quite feared, word of her gang crimes spread fast. When it was time for her to be questioned again, she was given a decision.

"Now Hyojin, here's the deal. You can tell us the names of everyone involved in that gang and we'll shorten your sentence, or you can keep it quiet and serve the full ten years."

"Hyojin, remember what we talked about." A young Hyelin said, seated next to her. "You can do it."

Hyojin instantly started listing names.

Her date in court came quickly, where Hyelin had managed to convince everyone that Hyojin had been manipulated into doing the things she did, and that she was scared of being killed if she disobeyed. The jury said Hyojin wasn't guilty of her crimes, and she was allowed to walk free.

She spent the first month living in complete fear, but nobody came to hurt her.  Eventually, she stopped being so afraid and her uncle helped her to buy a house. She turned her attention to music, something she'd always been good at, and that's how she became to be the producer she is today.

 

Solji was always a good person. She worked hard at school, and was a respected student and member of the student council and the choir. Solji did the best in her exams, and went onto college to study business. That's where she met her boyfriend. It was love instantly. They moved quickly, buying an apartment together and moving in. Solji's family were so proud of her for finding her way in life so quickly. Everything was perfect. Eventually they had a daughter and called her Kyungmi. They were the perfect Korean family. Well, that was how it seemed on the outside.

Solji's husband became less loving. He started losing his temper a lot more. They argued a lot, and Solji ended up getting hurt. One day, she couldn't take it anymore and decided to leave.

"I can't do this." Solji was stood near the door with her bags.

"What do you mean? Where are you going?" Her husband asked.

"Away. I can't live with you anymore. Whatever we had is gone." Solji said.

He moved closer and Solji instantly closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the hit.

"You were useless anyway." Her husband growled.

"I'll be c-coming back for Kyungmi's things in a few days." Solji said as she opened the door.

"Kyungmi is staying here." Her husband said.

"Why? So you can start yelling at her instead?" Solji hissed. "She's coming with me."

"No, she's staying here!"

They continued arguing until he slapped Solji, and she left crying.

Solji ended up staying in a small apartment for a while. She felt like she'd lost everything, including her daughter. She was so worried about what would happen to Kyungmi, but there was nothing she could do.

She worked hard and managed to earn enough money to buy a house. It was in a nice area of the city and it would be good for when her daughter came for the weekends.


End file.
